Manaphy felt that a simple-minded giant like Wadatsumi just needed food, and there was no need to pay him wages. Although a big guy like him had higher food costs than regular employees, the benefits he brought were tangible.
The Swamperts were a bit small to deal with this giant, so he chose to call for help. Why do it yourself when you can have someone else fight for you?
Wadatsumi himself hadn't undergone much training; he was a giant Fishman Race member who relied on size for combat. To deal with him, it's enough to find someone bigger than him.
In the Fishman Race, Wadatsumi was an unusually large fellow, but compared to the Sea King Types, he was nothing more than a small fry. Finding a bodyguard was just a matter of a few words from Manaphy.
The Sea King Types were still on their way, while Manaphy, feeling playful, began to circle around Wadatsumi. Agile in the ocean currents, Manaphy moved freely, and Wadatsumi couldn't even touch a single hair on him.
"Here I am, come catch me, big guy!"
"Damn it! Don't run, if I can't catch you the Captain Vander Decken will scold me!"
"Alright, I won't run. Come and catch me."
Manaphy appeared right in front of Wadatsumi, smaller than a single finger joint of his, but the size difference didn't make Manaphy feel tense at all. Just as he said, he stood in front of Wadatsumi, not running away.
Wadatsumi reached out with his two large hands to grab Manaphy, forming them into a tight ball, afraid that Manaphy might escape.
"Captain Vander Decken! I've caught him!"
Wadatsumi shouted excitedly, as happy as a big child, or perhaps he was just a big child. But at that moment, Vander Decken IX didn't respond to Wadatsumi's excitement.
Two Swamperts had just launched an attack on him, using their combination technique. The two Swamperts hugged together, forming a tire shape, with their tail fins pointed outward. After performing Iron Tail, they charged at Vander Decken IX.
Spinning at high speed, they formed a cutting saw, and with Vander Decken IX's weak combat power, he couldn't withstand a frontal attack from the two Swamperts. The most crucial thing was that the Bubble Film on him shattered under the cutting force of Iron Tail.
As someone with bloodline close to the Fishman Race, he could still breathe after losing the Bubble Film, but the side effects of the Devil Fruit appeared.
According to rumors someone heard, the Devil Fruit is a product of idealism, symbolizing certain people's desires. These fruits, born against the laws of nature, were hated by the Mother of the Sea, thus the creation of P Particles targeting the Devil Fruit.
When a fruit user encounters these particles, they become weak and powerless. Vander Decken IX was now lying on the deck, unable to move.
"Captain!"
"Big guy, you'd better think about yourself first."
From Wadatsumi's palm, Manaphy's voice emerged. He hadn't run away but instead melted into a stream of water, flowing out through Wadatsumi's fingers.
"Huh?"
"Look behind you, I found a special opponent just for you."
Wadatsumi didn't doubt the enemy's words and directly turned his head. A Sea King Type, with a claw larger than his head, floated behind him.
"Big Claw, help me knock out this dummy, please!"
Manaphy waved his small hand, speaking words that Wadatsumi couldn't understand.
"Hey, who's the dummy?"
Duang!
With a dull thud, Wadatsumi's head suddenly felt dizzy.
"I'm not a dummy..."
Persistent enough to say the last word, the Sea King Type's claw struck him on the head again. Failing to knock him out with one hit made the Sea King Type feel it lost face, so it increased its strength slightly.
This time, Wadatsumi lost the ability to resist, collapsing on the ocean floor just like Vander Decken IX.
"Thanks, can you do me another favor? Help me send this guy and that ship back to Fishman Island?"
The Sea King Type said nothing, quietly using its two claws to pick up the items Manaphy needed.
If it weren't for the Sea King Type being unable to do delicate work, and Manaphy needing to use favors to command them, he'd have requested them to help with mining.
Having them mine would likely cause landslides directly on the seabed continental shelf or could crush minerals into fragments, making them wash away due to ocean currents. Plus, only Manaphy could communicate with them, which would take up a lot of time.
Given the need to develop Fishman Island's economy and resolve idle population issues on Fishman Street, the Sea King Types didn't get involved in such work.
...
Back on Fishman Island, Manaphy's return stunned the guards of Dragon Palace Kingdom, who couldn't believe he brought back a group of unconscious fishmen when they said he went mining.
King Neptune quickly arrived after hearing the news.
"Is this guy... Vander Decken IX?"
"Do you know him, King Neptune? This guy actually tricked me, and he also knows about the Sea King Types."
Manaphy swam to Neptune's ear and whispered.
"What?!
Borrowing the Sea King Type for intimidation, Vander Decken IX initially tried to play tough. But he hadn't hidden information from his followers, and under the Sea King Type's threat, his followers quickly revealed his plans.
Including his intention to marry Shirahoshi was exposed.
"Lock them all up in prison, no visits allowed!"
Neptune immediately issued his orders to the Sea King Army, personally overseeing their imprisonment. On the way back, they were all knocked out by the Swamperts, which turned out to be a positive convenience for Neptune.
As for imprisoning them, there was nothing amiss. Vander Decken IX was a pirate, after all.
In terms of legality, Dragon Palace Kingdom, as a member nation, had the duty of capturing and holding pirates. However, due to the unique position and awkward status of Fishman Island, this role hardly existed, as Fishman Island relied on the Pirate Flag for protection.
The Sun Pirates never did anything to harm Fishman Island, and they even protected it.
But Vander Decken's Pirates were different, not managed by Tiger, and comparatively dangerous elements on Fishman Island. Moreover, they knew the secret.
Although Fishman Island's laws were relatively permissive, these people couldn't avoid imprisonment, at least not until Shirahoshi had the strength to guard herself. Neptune wouldn't release them.
After this incident, Otohime's fondness for Manaphy grew, because Manaphy didn't kill them; he captured them all instead. This "gentle" approach aligned more closely with Otohime's ideals.
Simultaneously, Manaphy began recruiting Wadatsumi. Although he was a big dope, he was genuinely loyal to Vander Decken IX, insisting on following him until the end.
However, Vander Decken IX didn't value Wadatsumi as much. Seeing him imprisoned in Dragon Palace City's jail, and sensing interest in his subordinate, he outright sold Wadatsumi in exchange for better treatment.
To prevent him from escaping, Neptune not only shackled him with Seastone handcuffs and anklets but also Seastone collars.
The purity of Seastone and the user's power would affect the situation of the bound ability user. Vander Decken IX, under the fourfold restraints, mostly paralyzed like noodles, so he readily used Wadatsumi in exchange for slightly more comfortable conditions.